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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2013/jun/30/cut-mobile-phone-charges-abroad
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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Top tips to cut down mobile phone charges abroad | Top tips to cut down mobile phone charges abroad |
| (3 months later) | |
| Using your mobile phone while on holiday abroad can result in an unwelcome data roaming bill when you get home – especially outside of the EU. So what are our top tips to cut down on charges? | Using your mobile phone while on holiday abroad can result in an unwelcome data roaming bill when you get home – especially outside of the EU. So what are our top tips to cut down on charges? |
| • Check data roaming and automatic updates for Smartphone apps are switched off. | • Check data roaming and automatic updates for Smartphone apps are switched off. |
| • If you want to use the internet, wait until you can use the Wi-Fi signal at a hotel or café. | • If you want to use the internet, wait until you can use the Wi-Fi signal at a hotel or café. |
| • Ask your provider for your own usage cap if you are concerned that you won't be able to keep track of your use. | • Ask your provider for your own usage cap if you are concerned that you won't be able to keep track of your use. |
| • Make sure your phone is unlocked , and buy a local SIM card. There are plenty of small local independent mobile phone stores and unlocking specialists who can do it for you. | • Make sure your phone is unlocked , and buy a local SIM card. There are plenty of small local independent mobile phone stores and unlocking specialists who can do it for you. |
| • Alternatively, buy a SIM before you go. For example, Dataroam has a range of pay-as-you-go and 30-day plans that it claims could save users "up to 90%", with pre-paid data SIMs starting at £14.99. | • Alternatively, buy a SIM before you go. For example, Dataroam has a range of pay-as-you-go and 30-day plans that it claims could save users "up to 90%", with pre-paid data SIMs starting at £14.99. |
| • To avoid the costs of receiving voicemail, make sure to deactivate this before you fly. | • To avoid the costs of receiving voicemail, make sure to deactivate this before you fly. |
| • There are special apps to reduce the amount of data you use – for example, try the Onavo app, which claims to give you the ability to do up to five times more with your current data plan without additional fees. | • There are special apps to reduce the amount of data you use – for example, try the Onavo app, which claims to give you the ability to do up to five times more with your current data plan without additional fees. |
| • Download maps for your destination before you leave home, or use your a Wi-Fi signal for this. | • Download maps for your destination before you leave home, or use your a Wi-Fi signal for this. |
| • Take advantage of data "bundles" that can be used abroad. For example, O2 is offering O2 Travel to all pay-monthly customers. This will offer 25MB of data per day for £1.99, with international rates from 29p per minute to make a call and from 8p per min to receive a call. Orange customers travelling outside Europe can sign up for a global mobile data bundle, starting from £6 a day for 30MB. There are also larger bundles that work on a 30-day or monthly recurring basis. | • Take advantage of data "bundles" that can be used abroad. For example, O2 is offering O2 Travel to all pay-monthly customers. This will offer 25MB of data per day for £1.99, with international rates from 29p per minute to make a call and from 8p per min to receive a call. Orange customers travelling outside Europe can sign up for a global mobile data bundle, starting from £6 a day for 30MB. There are also larger bundles that work on a 30-day or monthly recurring basis. |
| Finally, if you're on holiday, relax – and consider keeping your phone switched off and in your suitcase. | Finally, if you're on holiday, relax – and consider keeping your phone switched off and in your suitcase. |
| Do you have any other suggestions that could reduce your holiday bill? | Do you have any other suggestions that could reduce your holiday bill? |
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